Double cassette deck

Abstract

A double cassette deck to be used for a telephone answering machine comprises a main chassis having at least first and second side portions, a driving shaft rotationally retained in the main chassis and having driving portions at both ends extending through the main chassis first and second side portions, respectively, and at least one driving means provided at the main chassis for rotating the driving shaft. Two tape cassettes to be used in the cassette deck are located on the respective side portions parallel to each other, and when the tapes of the cassettes are firmly engaged with the driving portions of the driving shaft, the tapes are moved at a constant speed. The double cassette deck further comprises a first head assembly slidably connected to the first side portion, and a second head assembly connected to the second side portion. The first head assembly includes first actuating means for intermittently advancing the cassette tape, and the second head assembly includes second actuating means for intermittently advancing tape of the cassette on the second side portion. Controlling means control the first and second head assemblies so that the cassette deck can be used as a tape recorder and a telephone answering machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Double cassette deck adapted to be used for a telephone answering machine, comprising a main chassis having first and second side portions for mounting first and second tape cassettes respectively to be used in the cassette deck in mutually parallel relation,   a drive shaft rotationally retained in the main chassis and having first and second coaxial driving shaft portions at opposite ends thereof, said driving portions extending into the respective first and second side portions of the main chassis, said mounting means holding the tapes of said first and second cassettes in positions to be laterally engaged by the sides of said first and second driving shaft portions so that when the tapes are firmly engaged by the driving shaft portions, the tapes are moved at constant speed,   at least one driving means provided at the main chassis for rotating the drive shaft,   a first head assembly connected to the first side portion of the main chassis, said first head assembly including first actuating means for engaging the tape of the first cassette with said first driving shaft portion,   a second head assembly connected to the second side portion of the sain chassis, said second head assembly including second actuating means for engaging the tape of the second cassette with said second driving shaft portion, and   controlling means for controlling the first and second head assemblies so that the cassette deck can be used as a tape recorder and telephone answering machine.   
     
     
       2. Double cassette deck according to claim 1, further comprising cassette operating means connected at least to the second side portion of the main chassis so that the tape of the second cassette may be wound onto a reel of the second cassette alternatively in one of recording, playback, fast forward and rewind modes. 
     
     
       3. Double cassette deck adapted to be used for a telephone answering machine, comprising a main chassis having at least first and second side portions, said side portions being adapted to receive in mutually parallel relation respective first and second tape cassettes to be used in the cassette deck,   a drive shaft rotationally retained in the main chassis and having driving portions at both ends, said driving portions extending into the respective first and second side portions of the main chassis so that when the tapes are firmly engaged by the driving portions, the tapes are moved at constant speed,   at least one driving means provided at the main chassis for rotating the drive shaft,   a first head assembly slidably connected to the first side portion of the main chassis, said first head assembly including first actuating means for intermittently advancing the tapes of the first cassette,   a second head assembly connected to the second side portion of the main chassis, said second head assembly including second actuating means for intermittently advancing the tape of the second cassette,   controlling means for controlling the first and second head assemblies so that the cassette deck can be used as a tape recorder and telephone ansering machine, and   cassette operating means connected at least to the second side portion of the main chassis so that the tape of the second cassette may be wound onto a reel of the second cassette alternatively in one of recording, playback, fast forward and rewind modes,   said cassette operating means comprising two tape wheel gears adapted to be in engagement with the reels of the second tape cassette, a tape wheel seat connected to the second side portion for rotationally supporting the wheel gears at the second side portion, a transmission gear connected to the tape wheel seat for selectively engaging one of the tape wheel gears, and a second driving means for rotating one of the tape wheel gears through the transmission gear.   
     
     
       4. Double cassette deck adapted to be used for a telephone answering machine, comprising a main chassis having at least first and second side portions, said side portions being adapted to receive in mutually parallel relation respective first and second tape cassettes to be used in the cassette deck,   a drive shaft rotationally retained in the main chassis and having driving portions at both ends, said driving portions extending into the respective first and second side portions of the main chassis so that when the tapes are firmly engaged by the driving portions, the tapes are moved at constant speed,   at least one driving means provided at the main chassis for rotating the drive shaft,   a first head assembly slidably connected to the first side portion of the main chassis, said first head assembly including first actuating means for intermittently advancing the tape of the first cassette,   a second head assembly connected to the second side portion of the main chassis, said second head assembly including second actuating means for intermittently advancing the tape of the second cassette,   controlling means for controlling the first and second head assemblies so that the cassette deck can be used as a tape recorder and telephone answering machine, and   cassette operating means connected at least to the second side portion of the main chassis so that the tape of the second cassette may be wound onto a reel of the second cassette alternatively in one of recording, playback, fast forward and rewind modes,   said second head assembly comprising a slide plate slidably connected to the second side portion, biasing means for urging the slide plate toward the cassette operating means on the second side portion, a recording and playback head provided on the slide plate, and a pinch roller having a holder for rotationally supporting the pinch roller, said holder being rotationally connected to the second side portion of the main chassis and urged so that the pinch roller is pressed against the driving portion of the drive shaft, said pinch roller being moved away from the driving porition at the second side portion when the slide plate is moved away from the cassette operating means.   
     
     
       5. Double cassette deck according to claim 4, in which said second actuating means comprises a solenoid connected to the main chassis, and a lever connected to the solenoid so that if the pinch roller is contacted to the drive shaft driving portion on the second side portion, when the solenoid is actuated, the slide plate is moved to thereby move the pinch roller away from the driving portion on the second side portion. 
     
     
       6. Double cassette deck according to claim 5, in which said solenoid is actuated when the tape cassette on the second side portion is to be in either the fast forward or the rewind mode. 
     
     
       7. Double cassette deck adapted to be used for a telephone answering machine, comprising a main chassis having at least first and second side portions, said side portions being adapted to receive in mutually parallel relation respective first and second tape cassettes to be used in the cassette deck,   a drive shaft rotationally retained in the main chassis and having driving portions at both ends, said driving portions extending into the respective first and second side portions of the main chassis so that when the tapes are firmly engaged by the driving portions, the tapes are moved at constant speed,   at least one driving means provided at the main chassis for rotating the drive shaft,   a first head assembly slidably connected to the first side portion of the main chassis, said first head assembly including first actuating means for intermittently advancing the tape of the first cassette,   a second head assembly connected to the second side portion of the main chassis, said second head assembly including second actuating means for intermittently advancing the tape of the second cassette,   controlling means for controlling the first and second head assemblies so that the cassette deck can be used as a tape recorder and telephone answering machine, and   cassette operating means connected at least to the second side portion of the main chassis so that the tape of the second cassette may be wound onto a reel of the second cassette alternatively in one of recording, playback, fast forward and rewind modes, said first head assembly comprising a slide plate slidably connected to the first side portion, biasing means for urging the slide plate toward the drive shaft driving portion on the first side portion, a playback head provided on the slide plate, a foil sensor provided on the slide plate adjacent to the playback head, and a pinch roller having a holder for rotationally supporting the roller, said holder being rotationally connected to the slide plate and urged away from the driving portion of the first side portion.   
     
     
       8. Double cassette deck according to claim 7, in which said first actuating means comprises a solenoid connected to the slide plate, and a lever connected to the solenoid so that when the solenoid is actuated, the pinch roller is pressed against the drive shaft driving portion on the first side, whereby if a tape cassette is located in the first side portion, the tape in the tape cassette moves only when the solenoid is actuated. 
     
     
       9. Double cassette deck according to claim 8, in which said second head assembly comprises a second slide plate slidably connected to the second side portion, second biasing means for urging the second slide plate toward the cassette opening means on the second side portion, a recording and playback head provided on the second slide plate, a second pinch rolled having a second holder for rotationally supporting the second pinch roller, said second holder being rotationally connected to the second side portion of the main chassis and urged so that the second pinch roller is pressed against the driving portion on the second side portion, said second pinch roller being moved away from the driving portion on the second side portion when the second slide plate is moved away from the cassette operating means, a second solenoid connected to the main chassis, and a second lever connected to the second solenoid so that if the second pinch roller is pressed against the driving portion, when the second solenoid is actuated, the second slide plate is moved to thereby move the second pinch roller away from the driving portion on the second side portion, said second solenoid and second lever forming the second actuating means. 
     
     
       10. Double cassette deck according to claim 9, for use as a telephone answering machine, further comprising a tape cassette containing an endless tape situated on the first side portion for sending a message recorded on the endless tape to a telephone caller when a telephone call is received, and a conventional tape cassette situated on the second side portion for recording a message from the telephone caller after the message recorded on the endless tape is sent to the telephone caller. 
     
     
       11. Double cassette deck according to claim 10, in which said controlling means is actuated so that when a telephone call is received, the driving means, the cassette operating means in the recording mode, and the first and second solenoids operate to thereby send the message recorded on the endless tape to the telephone caller, and after the recorded message is transmitted to the caller, the first and second solenoids do not operate whereby the message from the caller is recorded on the tape cassette in the second side portion.